Meds?!!

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I want to get a head start on studying (I won't start my nursing program until April) and I want to start with meds. I have the Kaplan NCLEX-RN drug guide and I am wondering what is the best way, most effective way, whatever way to study these?! I was thinking note cards, but that seems like a lot. Any ideas would be helpful!

Specializes in PCA.

Thank you, I will open up my A&P book and start reading away!

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We began learning meds according to the disease processes they are meant to treat. I felt like that was a useful way to initially categorize them and then eventually I began to remember their classification.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes. Especially the physiology part. I just got done with Med/Surg I and here is what the problem was. My class had everyone in it. RN and LPN class. There were 40 of us total. People did not understand physiology at all then the instructor spent our whole lecture trying to teach people the basics. Then there were those of us who understood and were basically bored and we never got to the nursing aspects in the class. It was so frustrating. Those going into the LPN program did not have to take Advanced Physiology while those of us going into the RN program did. So we pretty much knew what was going on while others did not. That was my absolute only complaint of that class. I wish we had gotten more into the nursing processes.

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I did keep my A&P book (I've already had A&P I and II), and I thought about reading through it, but I didn't know if nursing school focused on the physiology of the body.

Um, yeah. I used to tell my students that if the people who came to the hospital didn't have any problems with their physiology, we wouldn't have to be seeing them at all, because they wouldn't have anything wrong with them.

Definitely, get solid on physiology and you will be yards ahead of your peers.

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I'm of the opinion that pharm is such a broad topic that it's helpful to begin studying immediately. That's what I did and I got the highest score in the class.

I would begin with broad overviews of how the different drug classes work.

I'm a huge fan of Lippincott's Illustrated Review of of Pharmacology. It includes some basic physiology.

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In my opinion, it would be more beneficial if you studied physiology. Focus on the major systems. I think that will help you way more than trying to study pharmacology before starting the program.

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Specializes in MICU.

My advice to any fellow students is "contact your instructor and get the calendar or schedule ahead of time. I study a head of time and it works perfect!!!". Again, Nursing school exams are different from the prep courses. Get yourself into the mode of NCLEX questions by googling online quiz-lets

'there are books like pharmacology made incredibly easy, Pharmacology for nursing process etc". See how the questions are framed, work on the NURSNG PROCESS "ADPIE" Find how you can use them in different scenarios. Majority of questions are from the Nursing Process. My first semester was very easy because I took those little steps.

My 1st semester ended yesterday and I am already working on my second semester preps.

Remember that we are all different, what worked for Ms Jaluo, may not work for Ms Jenna. Find what is best for you. All the best to you and all fellow students.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I agree that taking a break for now is best, but if you refuse... ;)

I would work on things like understanding the heart, liver and kidneys, maybe the pancreas, brain, metabolism, go over that stuff. Those pharm books have SO many meds, and you don't even know yet which ones you have to know! There are a ton of obscure meds that you will never ever see, and they'd be a waste of your time.

Also review some of your micro, antibiotics in particular.

For A&P, review the inflammatory process, ovulation (depending on when you have women's health), fetal development, following blood flow through the body, how nutrients and waste are transported through the body, how hemoglobin works, acid/base balance (you could start reading about how the body can end up in an unbalanced state, and learn the differences between respiratory and metabolic acidosis/alkalosis, what causes them, signs and symptoms, how to treat them), how breathing/gas exchange works... Having a strong understanding of all of this stuff will help SO much. Really knowing the heart, liver and kidneys will help a ton when you do learn pharmacology, along with diabetes, cardiac rhythms, and other things.

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Specializes in PCA.

Thank you! This is very helpful. I still have my pathophys book, so I will definitely go over the things you mentioned! I'll put meds aside & wait until I'm in the program for that. Does anyone have the Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination book? I have the 5th edition and it seems like it's pretty good about going over the A&P. Could this be something that I could use instead of my A&P book?

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Medications won't make any sense to you until you know your A&P and pathophysiology. And keep in mind that a lot of students fail Fundamentals. I would get the Fundamentals textbook and get started on it. You're jumping too far ahead.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

If you must, learn classes of drugs. Please don't make flashcards for every single drug.

I endorse the opinion of just relaxing right now.

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Hmm, I just don't get the "relax right now" mindset. I'm in the "learn as much as you can, as soon as you can... especially now, while you have some discretionary time."

Mastery doesn't come by waiting... and luck favors the most prepared.

Get Lippincott's Illustrated Review: Pharmacology... you won't be disappointed, I promise you.

To each his/her own, I suppose.

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